cloister

American  

[kloi-ster] / ˈklɔɪ stər /

noun

1. a covered walk, especially in a religious institution, having an open arcade or colonnade usually opening onto a courtyard.

2. a courtyard, especially in a religious institution, bordered with such walks.

3. a place of religious seclusion, as a monastery or convent.

   Synonyms:

   priory, abbey

4. any quiet, secluded place.

5. life in a monastery or convent.

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verb (used with object)

1. to confine in a monastery or convent.

2. to confine in retirement; seclude.

3. to furnish with a cloister or covered walk.

4. to convert into a monastery or convent.

cloister British  

/ ˈklɔɪstə /

noun

1. a covered walk, usually around a quadrangle in a religious institution, having an open arcade or colonnade on the inside and a wall on the outside

2. (sometimes plural) a place of religious seclusion, such as a monastery

3. life in a monastery or convent

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verb

1. (tr) to confine or seclude in or as if in a monastery

Other Word Forms

• cloister-like adjective
• cloisterless adjective
• cloisterlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of cloister

1250–1300; Middle English cloistre < Anglo-French, Old French, blend of cloison partition ( cloisonné ) and clostre (< Latin claustrum barrier ( Late Latin: enclosed place); claustrum )

Example Sentences

There the nun discovers her own inner sleuth, and unexpectedly finds joy in life outside the cloister.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025

A chocolate kitchen, chocolate serving room, chocolate cloister and full chocolate staff are optional.

From BBC • Dec. 10, 2023

He also shoveled snow, pruned the courtyard garden and made minor repairs in the cloister, according to his wife, Christina Carroll, who held his funeral at the monastery.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 19, 2023

Fourteen years later, Catholic women in Los Angeles raised funds to build the sisters a new cloister, chapel and office complex on the same site, designed by celebrated architect Wallace Neff.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2023

The page who had brought Sir Agravaine’s hippocras came in from the cloister door.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Related Words

• nunnery